5 life lessons I learned from running a marathon

#marathon #sctm #ultramarathon #endurance #goalsetting

On 16 October 2022, I completed my first marathon, the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, in 6 hours and 28 minutes – exactly 12 minutes before the official cut-off time.

I must confess that I have never been athletic. If anything, I have shunned running for most of my life because I am not the fastest runner. But over the past few years, I have picked up long-distance running and even surprised myself by enjoying it! This year, I set myself the goal of running my first full marathon.

As I reflect on the 14-week training journey, which culminated in the marathon run, it struck me how many life lessons I have learned. There are numerous learnings I have picked up along the way, but in this article, I am going to distil these into five key lessons.

Lesson 1. Dare to push your limits

When I started running a few years ago, I considered doing a 5km park run once a week on a Saturday morning to be a significant achievement! Over time, I began to push myself to do longer runs and occasionally entered races. I soon realised that I was capable of much more. I wanted to do more!

Since 2019, I have started pushing the limits of my body and mind to the point where I now frequently run half-marathons.

Running my first full marathon and completing it will always be one of the proudest achievements of my life. Now I know that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how unattainable it may seem at the beginning.

Lesson 2. Self-discipline and consistency are key

Self-discipline is key to success, not just in sports but in many other endeavours in life. Self-discipline means committing and doing something, not because it's easy, but because you have committed to it and owe it to yourself. It means waking up at 5 am on a cold rainy, wintry Saturday morning when you would rather be sleeping!

Success is not so much about intensity but rather about the consistency of efforts. Simply put, self-discipline means showing up consistently, no matter what. It is what distinguishes the finishers from the quitters.

Lesson 3. There is power in community

I recently heard someone say, "Marathon running is a team sport disguised as a solo sport." This statement perfectly sums it up for me. I have been fortunate to be part of an amazing running club, Spartan Harriers, which has become my running family. A huge blessing of being part of a running community is having seasoned runners willing to offer advice, coaching, wisdom, and moral support.

Being part of a team is so powerful! There is a certain energy that emanates from being part of a community or team. This "team energy" can carry you on your bad days and help you to show up, giving you a sense of camaraderie, belonging, and being part of a bigger cause.

Equally energizing is the support from spectators on the streets on race day. I can confidently attest to running harder and faster on the sections of the route where huge crowds of supporters were cheering. Without a doubt, I would not have gone through the training programme or completed the race had it not been for the support of friends and strangers alike every step of the journey.

Lesson 4. Mindset is everything

I have always thought marathon running to be a sport reserved only for the super-fit or seriously athletic. I am on the heavier side with a large bone structure; I do not have the perfect athletic build. If anything, I have struggled with excess weight for most of my life. But I recently embarked on a new career adventure as an entrepreneur. The self-coaching and mindset shift I have been going through has dually benefitted my professional and running career.

I have learned about the importance of mindset and the power of self-talk. Having the right mindset means you have already won half the battle, whether in a race or your career. No wonder most elite athletes have mantras that they keep repeating to themselves as they perform. Marathon running is about taking control of your mind, and your body will follow!

Henry Ford once said, "Whether you think you can or you think you can't – you're right," 

Lesson 5. Run your own race!

You may start the race simultaneously or run together with your fellow runners as you run. But ultimately, each person has their own race to run, and everyone will have a different experience of the same race. At the end of the day, it is your race! The important thing is to stay focused and keep moving forward, no matter how hard it gets.

As you run the race, you may meet or even run sections of the race with other runners. At times you may run alone, and that's ok. The important thing is to stay focused. When you're tackling hills, this might mean walking. When you are running downhill, this might mean cruising. When the wind is behind you, this might mean flying! I have watched videos of ultra-marathon runners crawling to the finish.

Whatever you do, you have to keep your eyes on the goal, and keep moving!

Concluding remarks

All in all, running a marathon has been a life-changing experience for me. It's an experience that stretches both the human mind and body. Running a marathon tests your resilience and grit on so many levels.

In the words of the famous American ultramarathon runner Dean Karnazes, "… running a marathon is not about what you do, but about what you become…."

I can say with certainty that it's an experience that has changed me. It might just change you!